Smoke from a wildfire in the Sierra Nevada near Emigrant Gap, Calif., billows over a closed Interstate 80, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2001. Firefighters expected to be hampered by hot weather and dry conditions Tuesday as they battled four major fires, including one that closed a major freeway, throughout Northern California. (AP Photo/Bob Galbraith) less

Smoke from a wildfire in the Sierra Nevada near Emigrant Gap, Calif., billows over a closed Interstate 80, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2001. Firefighters expected to be hampered by hot weather and dry conditions Tuesday ... more

Photo: BOB GALBRAITH

Image 3 of 4

A firefighting helicopter drops water onto a fire near along Interstate 80, near Emigrant Gap, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2001. Interstate 80, after being closed just south of Emigrant Gap Monday, was opened Tuesday to allow drivers to take a detour, but remained closed at Applegate to through traffic. (AP Photo/Bob Galbraith) less

A firefighting helicopter drops water onto a fire near along Interstate 80, near Emigrant Gap, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2001. Interstate 80, after being closed just south of Emigrant Gap Monday, was opened ... more

Photo: BOB GALBRAITH

Image 4 of 4

Wildfires spread across California and Northwest / 8,500 called in to battle blazes -- evacuations in High Sierra

1 / 4

Back to Gallery

More than 8,500 firefighters braved stinging wasps, rugged terrain and searing heat yesterday as they battled scores of wildfires burning throughout Northern California, Nevada and the Pacific Northwest.

Six major fires, including a whopper that has blackened 55,000 acres in Lassen County, were burning in the Golden State. The blazes destroyed 10 homes in Colusa County, prompted evacuations in the High Sierra and forced the California Highway Patrol to escort motorists along Interstate 80 at the Nevada border.

"It's been a busy day," said Karen Terrill, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry. "Our resources are stretched thin. It has the potential to be a really long week."

President Trump addresses nation after mass shooting at Florida SchoolWhite House

Things were worse in Nevada, where seven fires raged out of control, including a blaze that has torched more than 82,000 acres in the high desert about 200 miles northeast of Reno.

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber declared a state of emergency so the National Guard could join firefighters battling about 40 fires there. Among them was a 4,300-acre blaze 10 miles southwest of Ashland near the California border.

That fire destroyed two homes. Although it was moving away from the city, it was encroaching on the Ashland watershed and threatening the city's water supply.

Meanwhile, crews in Washington had their hands full fighting fires.

Most of the fires raging in the West were sparked last week by lightning and authorities said few will be contained soon. Firefighters have been so busy that they've had to leave dozens of smaller fires untended.

The situation was so serious that the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, declared "Level Four" (out of five) preparedness status for the first time this year. The move allows fire authorities to call in the armed services to help, but there are no immediate plans to do so, said agency spokeswoman Cherry Ascherfeld.

Firefighters won't get any help from Mother Nature in the coming days and forecasters said the situation could worsen later this week.

"We're going to have hot weather for another couple days at least," said fire spokeswoman Paula Martinez. "We don't expect a cool-down until maybe Thursday and that's a problem."

More than 89,000 acres were ablaze in California yesterday, mostly in remote pockets of vast federal forests.

The worst of the fires raged east of Ravendale (Lassen County), where a blaze sparked Thursday by a lightning strike has blackened 55,000 acres.

More than 900 firefighters had the fire 31 percent contained yesterday. They struggled against 90-degree heat, dry wind and rugged territory as the fire threatened 13 homes near the Nevada border.

Farther south, more than 350 firefighters fought a 1,900-acre blaze in Emigrant Gap, a historic Sierra spot about 70 miles northeast of Sacramento.

The fire forced the evacuation of a Boy Scout camp and authorities urged other campers to clear out. Thick smoke from the fire prompted officials to close Interstate 80, Highway 20 and a handful of smaller highways in the area for about four hours yesterday. The CHP continued to escort motorists in groups of 300 through the area last night.

The Emigrant Gap fire was about 20 percent contained yesterday and officials said firefighters hope to have it contained by 6 p.m. today.

A 12,086-acre fire in Mendocino National Forest of Glenn and Colusa counties has destroyed 10 homes and six outbuildings just four miles west of Stonyford.

More than 1,500 firefighters had that blaze 51 percent contained last night.

The fire forced the evacuation of the 48-unit Blue Lake campground and destroyed one building.

Along the California-Nevada state line northwest of Reno, air tankers and bulldozers fought to protect about 25 homes from a 19,300-acre fire in the Sierra Nevada. The blaze, about 10 miles east of Doyle (Lassen County), moved away from the homes yesterday but destroyed five outbuildings, fire officials said.

Also yesterday, more than three dozen smokejumpers parachuted into the South Warner Wilderness in Modoc County, while others battled a blaze on the outskirts of Cedarville.

As the blazes raged yesterday, Western governors and Cabinet secretaries meeting in Idaho during the annual meeting of the Western Governors' Association agreed to implement a sweeping national fire plan intended to prevent the wildfires that beset the region each summer.

The 10-year plan calls for improved prevention and suppression efforts, particularly near populated areas, by, among other things, clearing brush and debris that can fuel catastrophic blazes.

Bush administration backs plan to reduce wildfires

The Bush administration endorsed yesterday a 10-year plan developed by Western governors to reduce the number of wildfires that ravage millions of acres of forests each summer.

By signing an agreement to support more aggressive forest management by thinning trees and burning underbrush, Interior Secretary Gale Norton and Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman gave the governors assurances that the federal government would battle for adequate budget support from Congress.